New Year’s Honours

The government announced a list of people who were honoured for their services to New Zealand society in some way. This is called the New Year’s Honours.

The top honour went to Professor Murray Brenna. He will become a Knight Grand Companion of the Order. This is for his service to medicine. He is a doctor who has been doing cancer research, in New Zealand and recently in New York. There are only 30 people in New Zealand who have this honour.

Two women will become Dames, Dame Adrienne Stewart for services to the arts and business, and Dame Tariana Turia for her work in Parliament and as co-leader of the Maori Party.

Six other men who will become Sir include a judge, a lawyer, an architect and others involved in sport, science, education or business. They are mostly very well known in New Zealand.

About 170 other people were honoured for their services to New Zealand in some way.

All these people will receive their awards from the Governor-General, either in Auckland or at Government House in Wellington.

Listen to December 31st 2011 to hear more about the New Year’s Honours.

Vocabulary

  • service (n), serve (v) – helping others
  • award – a title and a badge
  • honoured (passive verb) – praised, given thanks